Disney Interactive has released two new apps for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch in celebration (and promotion) of the October 5 release of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Diamond Edition on Disney Blu-ray and DVD. Both apps are free.

With blue and silver pixie dust in hand, Mickey Mouse today presented the Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard with a “mouse warming” gift in celebration of the team’s new home and a multi-year agreement making Disney Parks a “Champions of the Community” sponsor for the franchise and Amway Center.

“We are honored to have the global brand of Disney, which has been such a fixture of this community for nearly 40 years, join us as a ‘Champions of the Community’ sponsor,” said Orlando Magic President Alex Martins. “As a long-standing member of the Central Florida community, Disney has established a great legacy that we hope to build upon at the Amway Center. We look forward to working together to make continued impact on our Central Florida community for one common purpose… becoming champions both on and off the court.”

Walt Disney World has shared with us two new concept photos of the upcoming new tour at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the ‘Wild Africa Trek.’ Initially announced on the official Disney Parks blog as starting later this fall, Walt Disney World now confirms a Stitch Kingdom report that the tour will not start being offered to guests until ‘early 2011.’

The tour plans on taking a small group of guests into previously uncharted areas of the Kilimanajaro Safaris’ savanna and bringing them up close and personal with the attraction’s residents.

In 2011, Disney guests will become the stars of a nightly spectacular when photos taken in the park during the day become larger-than-life projections on Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World Resort or “it’s a small world” at Disneyland Resort. This groundbreaking new experience will celebrate the family vacation memories created in Disney theme parks every day.

And this week, Disney guests will begin starring on television, too, as part of the new “Let the Memories Begin” campaign. For the first time, Disney Parks is featuring the home videos and snapshots of real guests in television ads and other marketing that will allow an audience of millions to share in true-life, heartfelt moments.

As we previously mentioned, Disney Parks will be holding a press event in New York City this afternoon to make some upcoming announcements regarding Disney Parks and Resorts. The event, which is scheduled to begin at 12 pm, will be streamed live on the internet beginning at approximately 12:45 pm. Tom Staggs, chair of Disney Parks and Resorts, will lead the presentation which is expected to include — amongst other things — news on the upcoming fiscal year which begins October 1. This will most certainly include mentions of the ‘Fantasy Forest’ expansion in Fantasyland at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and the CARSLand expansion and overall re-do at Disney California Adventure. 2011 will also see the maiden voyage of the first of two new Disney Cruise Line ships, the Disney Dream. Lastly, and certainly not least, October 1, 2011 marks the 40th anniversary of Walt Disney World and the Magic Kingdom, so we can expect some news on that as well.

Earlier this month, we told you about a press event for Disney’s Tangled held at the Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank, California. Today, Walt Disney Animation Studios has provided us with some hi-res photos from the event featuring the cast and crew of the film, including the Disney Parks meet & greet versions of Rapunzel and Flynn Rider.

Having seen the photos in full detail and after learning some additional information, we believe our assertions that Rapunzel’s hair will be worked into the meet and greet scene were incorrect. Initially based on the original concept art released by Disney Parks, it would appear to be that case, but due to the following reason which would be considered a spoiler, we see that may have changed: